Leads, leads, leads. It seems it is all about leads once the referrals and the circle of family and friends aren't enough to keep our firms growing. Yet, when it comes to generating leads, most professional services firms get it all wrong in 10 very common ways. 15 Sep 2008
A mystery package in the mail: irresistible. What's in it? Is it something you want or something you need? What in the world did someone send you? 15 Sep 2008
According to the 2008 biennial news consumption survey by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press, audiences for most traditional news sources have steadily declined, as the number of people getting news online has surged. 15 Sep 2008
Google's plan to digitize old newspaper articles may be a shot in the arm for a flailing industry. The newspapers will get a share of the revenue generated by ads appearing next to their archived material, which will be presented in its original format. 15 Sep 2008
Willow Creek Estate has once again done South Africa proud in international olive oil circles. Its flagship Directors' Reserve received an honourable mention and its Extra Virgin Oil earned a distinction at the L'Orciolo d'Oro olive oil competition in Italy. 12 Sep 2008
Last winter, the fictional ad agency on SABC 1's soapie, Generations, pitched for and won the Pep business and presented the retail chain's new tagline: “Best prices and more.” Off air and in reality, consumers saw the new campaign played out in-store (as featured on Generations). Millions of viewers made the connection between what they had seen on TV and what they saw in-store. The main character in the programme, Queen also wore Pep clothes on the programme. 12 Sep 2008
For years, furniture retailers have been duping customers using hidden fees and insurance, now it's coming back to bite them as regulators close in. 12 Sep 2008
Last month Ellerines' new owner, African Bank Investments Limited (Abil), took a group of analysts for a trip down “misery mile” in Voortrekker Street, Alberton, south of Johannesburg. 12 Sep 2008
USA: Internet retail giant Amazon.com is muscling into the wine industry. The company plans to start selling wine from California's Napa Valley and other wine-producing regions in the US later this year. 12 Sep 2008
The commercial forestry industry in Mpumalanga has recorded losses of R100 million following 15,000 hectares of plantations being destroyed on the recent wildfires. 11 Sep 2008
This year, 4,635 wine enthusiasts flocked to the 4th annual 2008 Standard Bank Soweto Wine Festival weekend held from 5 - 6 September at the University of Johannesburg, in what is being hailed as a major success by festival organisers, sponsors, exhibitors and visitors alike. 11 Sep 2008
The South African Catering and Commercial Workers Union (Saccawu) is preparing for "full blown" strike action against Woolworths, demanding union recognition. 11 Sep 2008
Eskom has joined forces with Game stores across the country to offer energy-conscious shoppers the chance to swap their standard light bulbs for power-saving globes at minimal cost. 11 Sep 2008
Authorities are struggling to prevent counterfeit goods entering South Africa as criminals are using embassies to smuggle the products into the country. 11 Sep 2008
Volkswagen South Africa (VWSA) has sounded alarm bells as the ongoing automotive labour action in the Eastern Cape looks set to gain momentum and disrupt its production. 11 Sep 2008
As eBay shifts its strategy to appeal more to larger sellers, it risks alienating the clientele that made it a success. However, the company is making changes and working toward a strategy it hopes will lead to growth, and that's better than doing nothing, say experts. 11 Sep 2008
According to a recent survey from the Association of National Advertisers in the US, 53% of marketers from a broad cross-section of categories and industries expect their advertising budgets to be reduced in the next six months as a result of the tough economic climate, and 87% of those polled are already being challenged to find cost savings or reductions within current marketing and advertising efforts. 11 Sep 2008
Measuring the financial return on sponsorships is of huge importance, not least because of the large sums of investment required for the most prestigious opportunities. Yet, surprisingly, many global sponsors still use relatively basic methods to assess the benefits of sponsorships and the value they may (or may not) bring to the bottom line. This article considers how to get closer to measuring true sponsorship ROI. 11 Sep 2008
Retail banks can see the benefits of technologies that enable a new, more customisable and interactive internet experience could bring to their online offerings, but fret about their security implications. 11 Sep 2008
Consumers, hard-hit by high energy and food prices, could soon breathe a sigh of relief as the crude oil prices fell below $100 a barrel for the first time in five months this week. 10 Sep 2008
